James attended St. Robert of Newminster school in his hometown of Washington and has been with Newcastle United from the under-13 age group, progressing to sign a scholarship in 2013.

A tall centre-back who is strong in the air and calm on the ball with a talent for making key interceptions, the South Shields-born teenager is a boyhood Magpies supporter who admires Real Madrid's Raphael Varane and Paris St-Germain's Thiago Silva.

Made his under-18s debut on the opening day of the 2012/13 season while still a schoolboy and will hope to push on in 2014/15.